Thirds to john c



(No Model.)'

J. QRAMBR] BRIDLE BIT No. 574,304. Patented Dec. 29, 1896'.

814/0 0144307 Jam UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN ORAMER, OF LOOK HAVEN, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF TWO- THIRDS TO JOHN G. SHANK AND TORRENOE O. HIPPLE, OF SAME PLACE.

BRIDLE-BIT.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 574,304, dated-December 29, 1896.

Application filed April 14, 1896. Serial No. 587,437. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN ORAMER, of Lock Haven, county of Clinton, State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bridle-Bits, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

One object of my invention is to produce a bit so constructed as to compel a horse upon which it is employed to keep his mouth closed, thereby preventing his indulgence of the bad habits, such as tongue-lolling and the like, to which many horses when bitted in the ordinary way are addicted.

Another object of my invention is to provide in a bit means for applyingthe force exerted by a pull upon the reins against the roof of the horses mouthinstead of applying it in the ordinary way as a pull upon the lower jaw.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure I is a side elevation of the lower portion of a horses head, showing my bit in position as in use with the usual strap connections attached. Fig. II is a perspective view of the bit detached. Fig. III isa side elevation of a slightly-modified form of bit.

Referring to the figures on the drawings, 1 indicates the cheek-piece rings of my bit, to which is secured a mouthpiece 2 or bit proper, one ring being provided at each end of the mouthpiece. The mouthpiece maybe made of any suitable and ordinary material, that illustrated being leather.

3 indicates the cheek-piece of a bridle, to which a ring 1 is secured, a cheek-piece being provided for each side of the bridle headstall. The cheek-pieces support the opposite sides of the mouthpiece at the proper position within the horses mouth.

4 indicates overdraw-rings, and 5 an ordinary overdraw secured thereto.

6 indicates chin-strap rings, and 7 the chinstrap, which may be made of leather or other material, covered, as illustrated, with a piece of rubber tubing 8.

9 indicates the rein-rings, to which the reins 10 are secured. The several rings are united, so as to bring them into their proper relations one with another, as by a suitable framework of metal made integral with the rings themselves.

The main body part of the frameworkisi ndicated at 11, and I prefer to employ a brace 12 between the rings 9 and 6, a brace 13 between the rings 9 and l, and a brace 14 between the ring land the body part 11 of the main frame. These braces severally serve to afford additional strength to resist strains that may be put upon the bit by force applied to the respective rings.

The relative arrangement of the rings affords the means for accomplishing the objects of my invention, and I shall describe them with reference to their normal positions shown in Fig. I. In that figure the ring 1 may be taken as the element with which the other rings are to be compared respecting their several relations and functions, the ring 1 serving to hold the mouthpiece upon the cheek-straps substantially in the ordinary way. WVith reference,therefore,to ring 1 ring 4 occupies a position in front of and preferably somewhat elevated above the mouthpiece 2. Ring 6 is located in front of and somewhat below the mouthpiece 2. The ring .9, being in effect the main operating-ring, is

located below the other three rings, its distance from the mouthpiece 2 determining the leverage obtainable through it upon the other parts.

As will hereinafter more clearly appear, the exact relations in point of distance between the rings 4, 6, and 9 and the ring 1 may be varied, as shown, for example, in Fig. III, the change in form therein illustrated consisting, substantially, in shortening the distance between the rings 4 and 6 and increasing the distance between the rings 6 and 9. These, however, constitute matters of detail, the relations of the several parts remaining always substantially the same.

In practice the bit, being supported in the mouth substantially as shown in big. I, is loosely supported by the cheek-pieces so long as there is no tension upon the reins 10. The overcheck, however, exerts a constant .tension directly upon the chin-strap 12, a tension which cannot be relieved by any movement of the horses head and which tends to keep the horses mouth substantially closed. Moreover, if the parts are properly adjusted the tension of the overcheck through the chinstrap binds exclusively against the chin of the horse and not upon the mouthpiece. IVhenever a pull upon the reins is made, the rings 9 will draw rearwardly and upwardly. The ings 4 are constituted into the fulcrum, and the entire leverage of the body parts 11 is exerted against the mouthpiece 2 to force it against the roof of the horses mouth, no force being exerted to draw the lowerj aw open, but, 011 the contrary, the action of the chinstrap continuing to force it shut.

The constant action of the chin-strap under the different conditions above described to keep the mouth closed preventsall bad habits upon the part of the horse, such as tonguelolling, cribbing, stump-sucking, or the like, which require that he shallbe at liberty to open his mouth.

The application of the power exerted upon the reins of the bit to the roof of the mouth instead of against the lower jaw makes the use of the bit comparatively easy and prevents soreness.

I do not limit myself to the details of construction herein shown and described, but reserve the right to modify the same within the scope of my invention.

One form of a modification is illustrated and others readily suggest themselves. For

example, the employment of the term ring to designate the several parts to which the straps are applied is not intended as a limitation, the shape of some or such parts being susceptible of variation from a circular form.

What I claim is 1. In a bridle-bit, the combination with a mouthpiece and cheek-piece, rings secured thereto, of overdraw, chin-straps, and reinrings secured to the cheek-piece rings, and to one side of the same, substantially as set forth.

2. In a bridle-bit, the combination with a mouthpiece, and cheek-piece ring secured thereto, of an overdraW-ring above and in front of the mouthpiece, a chin-strap ring be low and in front of the mouthpiece, and a depending rein-ring, all substantially as set forth.

3. In a bridle-bit, the combination with a mouthpiece, and cheek-piece rings, of three rings carried substantially in line with each other and all three located to one side of the cheek-piece rings, respectively, substantially as set forth.

4. As a part of a bridle-bit, a side piece consisting of a cheek-piece ring and three other rings united together, the three rings being arranged to one side of the cheek-piece ring, substantially as set forth.

5. As a part of a bridle-bit, a side piece composed of a cheek-piece ring, overdraw, chin-strap and rein rings, and a body part uniting the same, of braces connecting the chin-strap, rein and cheek-piece rings, and the body part respectively, substantially as set forth. I

I11 testimony of all which I have hereunto subscribed my name.

JOI'IN- CRAMER. Witnesses A. B. MCOABE, B. F. THOMPSON. 

